Alligator steals DSLR, kindly returns it eight months later

During a holiday party at the Everglades Alligator Farm last year, employee and budding wildlife photographer Mario Aldecoa was setting up his camera to capture the glowing eyes of the local residents. It wasn't long after he mounted his Canon DSLR to a tripod when, in a flash, one of the gators grabbed the whole thing as if it was lunch. Aldecoa waded into the swamp the next morning, just hoping to find his tripod, but everything was gone.

Eight months later, farm employees were feeding the alligators when they noticed something peculiar. Wrapped around the foot of one of the gators was Aldecoa's digital SLR.

The camera wasn't in the best of shape, as you can see above, but he was able to pry the memory card out of its compartment. Much to Aldecoa's surprise, the photos on the card had survived, including the one below, which he took right before everything was snatched out of his hands.

This was the last photo taken by Mario Aldecoa's Canon DSLR before it was snatched by am alligator.

It's safe to say that memory cards aren't designed to spend eight months in a Florida swamp, but somehow this one survived (Aldecoa hasn't disclosed the manufacturer). Aldecoa has since replaced his camera and is back taking alligator pictures again - with a lot more caution.

Aldecoa took risks. But, when the gator lunged, he had the presence of mind not to leap into the muck and wrestle the Canon out of the beast's jaws. Think, though, of the photo op that would have been to others. The original "Wilhelm Scream" was based on a gator encounter, and you hear it every time someone sees their camera being destroyed.

why is the camera strap muddy along with where it connects the the camera, but clean on the strap where it says Canon (which is so clearly positioned it doesn't look like an accident)? Not saying this is a disguised advertisment for Canon, but that looks very strange to me. I'd have wiped the body and lens off before the logo strap it is was my gear.

That alligator was very lucky for not having attacked a DSLR with a 600/ 4 or an 800/5.6 lens attached. Had it had, the alligator would be trapped forever in the bottom of the swamp by the photographic anchor.

The alligator was going incognito. What better way to lure victims than to slide up and ask the tourist to take a picture of him with his buddies. What alligator with a camera has ill intentions. That's never part of a scam...

I once had an SD card go through my washer and dryer. Don't remember which brand... because it continued to work reliably enough that it's just part of my SD card pool again. Maybe Mario should run his camera through the washer and dryer before selling it as "clean, untested" on eBay? ;-)

Alligators and Crocodiles can, and do, eat about anything they can fit in their mouth. You are right though, might have just been knocked over into the mud, but I wouldn't be surprised if the gator ate it.

The camera looks somewhat crusty to me. Might still do well on EvilBay, though. Only a few clicks on the shutter by a 2nd owner who didn't use it much. "Some marks on the coatings but surely it won't affect the pictures".

Forget the LX Series Patriot-SDHC 8gb class 10. Material is dissolving! How can company for good-quality pc-RAM offer such cr...p? It starts with the black label where one cannot write on. The is true for my second piece. I was using them for 3dstereo on two cams. on the first the lock-level went KAPUTT.

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